Lagudorian Lake had shrunk back to its original size. Last time, water spirits had surged it up, flooding tens of kilometers of nearby villages. Now just a kilometer radius, serene and still—the water spirits' home.
Sora dismounted Yunlong, approached the shore.
"Water spirit—Gundaruff here, honoring our pact," Sora called loud. Repeated calls: lake-center clear water bubbled spring-like, condensed vague ten-meter water-humanoid, slow lake-mid floated near.
"I remember you, Gundaruff. Slept short—you return."
"Yes, water spirit. Promised: find your lost ring. Done—take it back." Sora drew purple block-gem ring from tunic, palm-upheld water spirit-facing.
Lake-stream rose, ring-wrapped, spirit-returned.
"Good—mine." Water spirit faintly pleased; ring body-merged, shapeless, integrated.
"You swift-pacted—reward time," water spirit said.
Pure lake-stream spirit-burst, Sora-hit.
Sora yelled, ground-rolled convulsing. Gray sludge body-oozed constant.
Tabasa expression-shifted, wand-raised water spirit-pointed.
"You—what?" Voice clear, anger-full.
"Little one—recall you, last harasser," water spirit calm-voiced.
Tabasa wand-waved, chanted. Water-variant: ice lance.
One-meter slim ice cone formed—sudden-melted water, ground-seeped.
"How?" Tabasa surprised.
"Water—all obeys me," water spirit light-said.
Tabasa froze beat, wand-waved anew.
"Hash Wendy Lie." [Wind Blade]
One-meter crescent wind blade water spirit-hit.
Three-four meter lake-pool rose, water-mass wind blade-dissolved.
"Don't provoke—short-lived," water spirit tone chilled.
Tabasa full-trembled, wand-dropped, slow-kneeled.
Water spirit sullen-pressure crushed Tabasa resist-will total. Far-superior being. Unwinnable.
Sora ceased thrashing, sweat-drenched rose.
Hands flexed-shook. Body-magic prior four-point stalled—water spirit magic flushed clear. Natural [triangle-rank] step.
"Tabasa—what?" Sora attention-pulled, ground-kneel shocked.
"Gundaruff—pact done. Farewell," water spirit slow-sank, lake-bottom rest-bound.
"Wait—water spirit," Sora halted.
"What, Gundaruff?"
"Know ring-thief? Act against?"
Water spirit form-water-flickered.
"Offense angers. Can't leave lake—pact-bound."
"Raised levels, stayed—search not. No way then. Farewell, water spirit." Sora regret-toned.
Water spirit expression-ticked faint.
"Not impossible. Split body inhabits [Water Gem] or water mage—clone-feel shared."
Sora eyes lit: "Then—host me?"
"No—pure girl host," water spirit.
Sora Tabasa-eyed.
Tabasa stood wand-gripped aside. Heard: mouth-gaped shocked.
"Host effects? Water spirit."
"Hosted: water affinity amps. Sometimes body-takeover," water spirit light.
Sora eyes shifted, Tabasa: "Heard? Tabasa—let water spirit host?"
Tabasa wand-clutched tight, dazed slight.
"You—want?" Tabasa asked.
Sora silent-mouthed: "Strength short—[water spirit] power handy times."
Tabasa silent beat: "Help want—but unfinished business. Body can't yield."
"That. Water spirit—[Water Gem] brought? Split enter?" Sora asked.
Water spirit: "[Water Gem] yes."
"Thanks—few days, [Water Gem] come."
"Farewell, Gundaruff." Water spirit splash-fell lake-returned.
"Huh..." Sora sighed relief. Water spirit kind—but level-negotiate sweat-cold. Actually sweated plenty.
"Tabasa—wait." Sora eyed impurity-flushed stinky self, embarrassed-said.
Woods-entered: [Water Ball] water-summoned bathed body-clothes; branch-bundle [Fire Ball]-lit dried. Clothes-changed: half-hour return.
"Back—Tabasa."
Tabasa nodded; duo Yunlong-rear-front mounted, wings-beat school-bound.
Flight: Sora Tabasa-slim waist hugged; Tabasa uncomfortable-twisted, no real resist. Silent pair, quiet soaked.
Yunlong cloud-sea soared; twin moons high-lit duo-dragon.
"Sora."
"Yeah?"
"Gundaruff—what?"
"Know ancestor, void?"
"Yes—strongest mage ancestor, void magic ancestor-only."
"Ancestor left four gems, four treasures. Four void users, four familiars match. Louise void user; me void familiar—one: Gundaruff, all-weapons free-wielder."
"Ancestor-water spirit intersect—lets talk."
"Yes—tell okay?" Tabasa asked.
"Fine—trust Tabasa." Sora mouth-corner upped, head-top Tabasa-rubbed light. Tabasa stiffened beat, silent—no push.
"Well—Sora, real name Charlotte: Charlotte Elena Orrea..." Tabasa slow-spilled: father Gallia heir, assassinated. Mother poison-wine saved her—memory-lost, doll "Tabasa" daughter-saw; mother-safety, Gallia King Joseph tasks endless.
"Hence Tabasa alias. Tough—Charlotte." Sora arms-tightened rear, petite Tabasa embraced.
"Future—burden share? Charlotte." Sora head-dipped, eyes-stared Tabasa.
Tabasa flustered slight, blush-faced alluring extreme.
Victory-chase: Sora slow Tabasa-red lips kissed seductive.
Tabasa daze-kissed, Sora-chest warmth, lip-heat sensed. Eyes slow-closed.
Sora joyed, small-mouth blocked, tongue-stirred. Kissed breathless, pant-flushed: Sora triumphant head-lifted.
Tabasa Sora-arms laid-back, eyes misty. Closed, slow Sora-arms slept.
Sora tight-hugged Tabasa, rear-cloak wind-blocked. Petite girl gentle-eyed.
High-night gazed: Sora eyes serious-set.
Gallia King Joseph—mastermind killer? Sooner-later Tabasa-mother avenge, you down.